Go Jim Go: Saving Grace, and her mother too

BRIGHTON, Tenn. — In Brighton, Tennessee, there's a family that will show you the beauty of God's grace in nature right in front of their home, and sometimes it can be put into words on a computer screen.

Kim and Sean Joyner say one of their blessings can be clearly seen in the face and in the eyes of their little girl named Grace.

"She was so tiny. I just saw all of God's grace in every perfectly formed finger and toe," Kim Joyner said.

About two years ago, she created a blog about their family's emotional journey after Grace's birth, a birth filled with joy, sadness, anger, and fear.

"Grace was taken to Le Bonheur not long after they took her from me," she said.

Kim and Sean say Grace's story is one of miracles.

The Joyners have a son, Chase, but they didn't think they'd ever be able to have another child.

"We never thought in a million years we'd be pregnant. We had went through infertility for 14 years."

The Joyners felt God would have their back during their pregnancy because they would face some scary days, weeks and months ahead.

Kim was hospitalized and put on best rest for a condition known as preclampsia.

"We went to the emergency room and everything fell apart," she said. "My blood pressure was very high."

There was a possibility Kim or Grace wouldn't survive.

"If we drop them (white blood cells) anymore, we'll probably lose one or the other (Kim or Grace) and that's why he made the call," Sean Joyner said.

On Dec. 10, Grace had to be delivered. She only weighed one pound and 14 ounces. And because of her size, she would need to taken to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.

"We have the tools and resources at Le Bonheur to care for these small babies and small baby unit which is dedicated to babies less than three pounds," Dr. Mark Weems said.

Kim was in another hospital, and she didn't get a chance to hold her daughter until she was five days old.

"It was just incredible. She was so tiny and teeny and i wanted to pick her up and hold her," she said.

Grace, or their "Little Bat Girl" as they nicknamed her, would need to be a fighter to survive

"You don't realize how slow a person grows until you're in the NICU, but your'e so thankful for the nurses who stay there 24/7 and when you're not there, they'll holding your baby."

And that 24/7 specialized care at Le Bonheur is why the Joyners say Grace is healthy and happy, and it saved her life — just like Le Bonheur did for Kim when she was a child.

"I was a Le Bonheur baby too," she said. "We knew how incredible Le Bonheur was because they saved my life 38 years ago. I knew it was the best place for her too."

Today, you'll find Grace spending time with her big brother Chase at the piano or playing games around the house.

The Joyners say it's because of Le Bonheur — a life-saving hospital and a place the Joyners say allows them to see God's grace everyday.

When they see the heart on top of the building, they think, "Saving grace."